Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994)

Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult is the third and final installment in the riotously absurd Naked Gun trilogy starring Leslie Nielsen as the inept but loveable police lieutenant Frank Drebin. With its slapstick humor, parody of crime dramas, and relentless visual gags, the film continues the franchise’s legacy of turning serious genre tropes into comedy gold.

Detailed Summary

Retirement Blues and Domestic Doldrums

Lieutenant Frank Drebin is now retired and living a (shockingly) domestic life with his wife, Jane (Priscilla Presley). But he’s bored, and more importantly, not handling retirement well. The excitement of chasing bad guys and narrowly avoiding disaster is sorely missed.

At the same time, Jane is desperate to start a family, but Frank is struggling to move on from his glory days in law enforcement.

The Bomb Plot and Going Undercover

The police squad, led by Captain Hocken (George Kennedy) and Nordberg (O.J. Simpson), needs Frank’s help with a new case. A terrorist named Rocco Dillon (Fred Ward) is planning a major attack, and the only way to stop him is for Frank to go undercover — in prison.

To get close to Rocco, Frank stages a fake crime and lands in jail. What follows is a series of over-the-top prison gags, including a ludicrous escape sequence and Frank having to win Rocco’s trust while pretending to be a hardened criminal named “Nick the Slasher.”

A Night at the Oscars (Literally)

The climax builds toward Rocco’s actual plan: he and his mother (played hilariously by Kathleen Freeman) intend to blow up the Academy Awards during the live ceremony. Frank follows them after breaking out of prison, infiltrating the event dressed as Phil Donahue, of all people.

This gives the film an excuse to mercilessly parody Hollywood culture and the Oscars themselves. There are red carpet gags, celebrity impersonators, and ludicrous musical numbers.

Movie Ending

At the Academy Awards ceremony, chaos breaks out as Rocco attempts to plant a bomb underneath the stage, inside the envelope for Best Picture. Frank, disguised and completely clueless, finds himself onstage, accidentally winning an award and delivering a hysterical acceptance speech while unknowingly sitting on the bomb.

After a wild sequence involving mistaken identities, chase scenes, slapstick violence, and a misplaced baby (long story), Frank and Jane end up disarming the bomb at the last second — unintentionally, of course. Rocco’s plan is foiled, and he ends up being blasted out of the theater via an explosive.

The film ends with Jane revealing she’s pregnant (thanks to Frank’s “undercover” work), and Nordberg’s newborn baby peeing in Frank’s face, capping the series with the kind of physical humor it’s known for. It’s a chaotic, ridiculous, and fitting finale to Frank Drebin’s saga.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult does not have a post-credits scene. Once the credits roll, that’s it — the movie concludes in classic 1990s fashion, no Marvel-style surprises here.

Type of Movie

This is a crime spoof / slapstick comedy, heavily rooted in parody and absurdism. It lampoons the police procedural genre, Hollywood awards shows, and just about every dramatic trope imaginable.

Cast

• Leslie Nielsen as Lt. Frank Drebin
• Priscilla Presley as Jane Drebin
• George Kennedy as Captain Ed Hocken
• O.J. Simpson as Officer Nordberg
• Fred Ward as Rocco Dillon
• Kathleen Freeman as Rocco’s Mom
• Anna Nicole Smith as Tanya Peters

Film Music and Composer

The score was composed by Ira Newborn, who also scored the previous films in the series. The music captures the dramatic tones of traditional crime thrillers but twists them for comic effect, playing into the film’s parody nature. Notable is the film’s use of musical misdirection — serious music behind absurd visuals.

Filming Locations

Filmed largely in Los Angeles, the movie utilizes real city locations, sets designed to resemble jailhouses, and a recreated Oscar ceremony stage. The importance of these locations is in how they are exaggerated and stylized to fit the over-the-top humor — especially the Oscar sequence, which parodies Hollywood’s biggest night down to the seat fillers and trophy girls.

Awards and Nominations

While the film wasn’t a contender for any major awards, it did earn:

• A Razzie Award nomination for Anna Nicole Smith (Worst New Star), which feels oddly on-brand.
• It remains a cult favorite and a frequent reference point in discussions of great parody films.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Leslie Nielsen improvised many of his deadpan lines on set.
• Fred Ward was cast to contrast Nielsen with a genuine tough-guy performance, which made the comedy sharper.
• The Oscar scene was so elaborate it required nearly a third of the filming schedule.
• The title “33⅓” is a reference to LP record speeds — just as ridiculous as the previous film’s “2½.”
• Anna Nicole Smith’s casting was mostly a marketing choice due to her tabloid fame at the time.

Inspirations and References

• Inspired by the “Police Squad!” TV series, created by the same team: David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker.
• Parodies films like The Untouchables, The Shawshank Redemption, The Fugitive, and of course, Hollywood award ceremonies.
• The prison scenes also spoof classic crime and prison dramas like Cool Hand Luke and Escape from Alcatraz.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

While there’s no known alternate ending, some scenes were deleted for pacing, including:

• A longer version of the Oscar musical number.
• Additional prison jokes that were considered too absurd, even for this film.
• A gag involving Frank impersonating a French mime to avoid capture — ultimately cut due to time.

Book Adaptations and Differences

There is no official book adaptation, and the film was an original script loosely based on characters and tone from the Police Squad! series. However, parody scripts and joke-style novelizations have circulated in fan communities.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• Frank in prison pretending to be a notorious killer.
• The absurd red carpet interview at the Oscars.
• The bomb hidden in the Best Picture envelope.
• The final sequence where Frank is literally holding the fate of Hollywood in his hands.

Iconic Quotes

• “Like a midget at a urinal, I was going to have to stay on my toes.”
• “I’m not a cop tonight, Jane. I’m a man. A lonely man standing in front of a woman asking her to love him… Wait, that’s Notting Hill.”
• “We’re going to need a SWAT team ready to mobilize, street-level maps covering all of Florida, a pot of coffee, twelve jammy dodgers, and a piece of string.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• Frank Drebin’s prison alias “Nick the Slasher” is a nod to 1940s gangster films.
• The Oscar sequence includes fake nominees with hilariously bad movie titles.
• O.J. Simpson’s Nordberg appears less in this film, likely due to his rising personal controversies around that time.
• The final musical number parodies West Side Story and Chicago.

Trivia

• The “33⅓” title was chosen before the script was even finished.
• Leslie Nielsen insisted on doing many of his own stunts.
• The original working title was Naked Gun 3: Just Kidding, There’s Another One.
• A gag about Titanic winning Best Picture was cut — ironically, the film would be released just a few years later.
• Frank’s bizarre acceptance speech was partly improvised and kept for its awkward brilliance.

Why Watch?

Because you love unfiltered, absurd, old-school parody. If you’re tired of subtle humor or plot-heavy dramas and just want to laugh at ridiculous slapstick, deadpan delivery, and over-the-top satire, Naked Gun 33⅓ delivers. It also gives a final sendoff to one of comedy’s most iconic buffoons, Lt. Frank Drebin.

Director’s Other Movies

Peter Segal, the director, also worked on:

• Tommy Boy (1995)
• 50 First Dates (2004)
• Get Smart (2008)
• Grudge Match (2013)
• My Spy 2 (TBA)

Recommended Films for Fans

• The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
• The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991)
• Airplane! (1980)
• Hot Shots! (1991)
• Top Secret! (1984)
• Spy Hard (1996)
• Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
• Johnny English (2003)
• The Other Guys (2010)